king, mighty of estate and high of dominion!” And he proceedeth to praise him on this wise and endeth by saying, “This is the king, lord of the crown the like whereof nor Solomon[FN#213] nor Mihraj[FN#214] possessed!” Then is he silent, whilst he who is behind the king proclaimeth and saith, “He shall die!  He shall die!  And again I say, he shall die!” And the other rejoineth, saying, “Extolled be the perfection of the Living One who dieth not!” And by reason of his justice and judgment[FN#215] and understanding, there is no Cadi in his [capital] city; but all the people of his realm distinguish truth from falsehood and know [and practise] truth and right for themselves.’

The Khalif marvelled at my speech and said, ’How great is this king!  Indeed, his letter testifieth of him; and as for the magnificence of his dominion, thou hast acquainted us with that which thou hast seen; so, by Allah, he hath been given both wisdom and dominion.’  Then he bestowed on me largesse and dismissed me, so I returned to my house and paid the poor-rate[FN#216] and gave alms and abode in my former easy and pleasant case, forgetting the grievous stresses I had suffered.  Yea, I cast out from my heart the cares of travel and traffic and put away travail from my thought and gave myself up to eating and drinking and pleasure and delight.”

Sindbad the Sailor and Hindbad the porter.

When Sindbad the Sailor had made an end of his story, all who were present marvelled at that which had befallen him.  Then he bade his treasurer give the porter an hundred mithcals of gold and dismissed him, charging him return on the morrow, with the rest of the folk, to hear the history of his seventh voyage.  So the porter went away to his house, rejoicing; and on the morrow he presented himself with the rest of the guests, who sat down, as of their wont, and occupied themselves with eating and drinking and merry-making till the end of the day, when their host bade them hearken to the story of his seventh voyage.  Quoth Sindbad the Sailor,

The seventh voyage of Sindbad the Sailor.

“When I [returned from my sixth voyage, I] forswore travel and renounced commerce, saying in myself, ‘What hath befallen me sufficeth me.’  So I abode at home and passed my time in pleasance and delight, till, one day, as I sat at mine ease, plying the wine-cup [with my friends], there came a knocking at the door.  The doorkeeper opened and found without one of the Khalif’s pages, who came in to me and said, ‘The Commander of the Faithful biddeth thee to him.’  So I accompanied him to the presence of the Khalif and kissing the earth before him, saluted him.  He bade me welcome and entreated me with honour and said to me, ’O Sindbad, I have an occasion with thee, which I would have thee accomplish for me.’  So I kissed his hand and said, ’O my lord, what is the lord’s occasion with the slave?’ Quoth he, ’I would have thee go to the King of Serendib and carry him our letter and our present, even as he sent us a present and a letter.’